Joshua Powling

A demonstration against plans for 165 new homes and a 60-bed care home in Broadbridge Heath has been organised for this weekend.

A planning application for land north of Old Guildford Road was rejected by Horsham District Council in June last year but Gleeson Developments have appealed the decision.

It’s an amenity the community cannot afford to lose

Malcolm Curnock, Horsham district councillor

The planning inspector will hear the appeal in public on Wednesday March 4 at 10am at HDC’s Park North offices.

However Broadbridge Heath Parish Council is asking for a show of strength against plans and has organised a demonstration on Saturday February 28 at 12 noon. It is asking members of the public to meet at the junction of Sleets Road and Old Guildford Road where a photograph will be taken and used as evidence of the strength of local feeling against the development at the appeal.

Horsham district councillor Malcolm Curnock (LDem, Broadbridge Heath) said: “With all the development that has and is taking place in the parish of Broadbridge Heath this is the last piece of easily accessible countryside, by way of a public footpath, within the parish boundary.

“As such its amenity value to the residents is highly valued and key to their wellbeing. It is an amenity that the community cannot afford to lose.

“In addition to the irreplaceable amenity value of this site it is also crucial to the setting of two listed buildings and the historical setting of Broadbridge Heath. Unlike the south of the village, which has seen several major developments in recent times, the land to the north of Old Guildford Rd has remained virtually unchanged for over a 100 years.

“Crucially this site is outside the built up boundary of the village. As such its development is contrary to HDC policy under the current Core Strategy 2007, nor is it an allocated site in the emerging HDPF.”

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